Devices including laptop or desktop computers, tablet computers, digital video recorders, set-top boxes, digital media players, video gaming devices, and video game consoles may include a graphics subsystem including one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). One or more GPUs may be implemented on a single graphics card. During operation, the one or more GPUs may generate a significant quantity of thermal energy. If the thermal energy is not dissipated, performance of the one or more GPUs may degrade.
A graphics card may include a fan to dissipate heat during the operation of the one or more GPUs. The speed at which a fan rotates and thus the rate at which heat is dissipated may be controlled by one or more GPUs. Acoustic noise may be generated as the fan rotates. The amount of acoustic noise perceived by a user may be based on the speed at which the fan rotates and/or how frequently the fan is rotating at a particular speed. Current techniques for controlling the speed of a fan may be inadequate for dissipating heat and/or may be detrimental to the user's experience.